Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 487 The Tavern Gang Background and the Tailor Shop
Although Broken Wave Wharf is located in the largest and least valued lower saltwater area of ​​Fish Bay, it enjoys a very high status in the entire town due to the function of the wharf itself.

Suoyu Bay is, after all, a port city.

Its current scale is ultimately due to its status as an important port in the south of the kingdom.

As a vital hub for the transportation and transshipment of goods, a crucial starting point connecting the inland hinterland, and a center for commodity exchange and domestic and international trade, Soyu Bay can be considered, to some extent, the core of the entire Southern Islands.

Under these circumstances, no matter how bad the security situation in the saltwater area was, and no matter how much crime was bred in those dark and cramped alleys, at least in the small coastal area of ​​Broken Wave Wharf, there was a considerable degree of order.

The Governor's Office, the church, and the Gulf Chamber of Commerce—the three major organizations in the town—jointly maintained stability at the docks, primarily to protect their own interests.

In practice, this translates to a higher frequency of guards and soldiers appearing at the docks compared to the saltwater area and even the cormorant area.

Even the gangs that run rampant in the shadows of the saltwater region can only tuck their tails between their legs and walk cautiously with their heads down when they encounter these official forces that possess extraordinary power.

But if it were that simple to make these money-grubbing gangsters give up this lucrative place in town, it would make them seem far too cowardly and weak.

Through years of struggle against powerful forces, these smaller organizations have developed a unique way of surviving.

First and foremost, of course, are the three major organizations in the town.

In special circumstances, these underworld figures are even willing to act as bodyguards to protect the interests of the church, the governor's office, and the Gulf Chamber of Commerce.

After all, if something really serious happens and attracts the attention of these official organizations, leading to another "clean-up," then all the people who rely on the gray income from the docks to make a living will be out of a job.

Secondly, there are the adventurers coming and going at the docks.

Especially those experienced senior professionals.

Years of fighting monsters have made these adventurers lose their humanity to some extent. The freedom and unruly nature granted by their status make them truly daring to kill someone in the street if they can't even reach an agreement on a single sentence.

There are countless examples of gangs being wiped out the very next day after accidentally provoking a powerful figure. The organizations currently active near the docks have all learned from this lesson.

So how do they earn an income at the docks?

It's actually very simple.

Just like Hogan did before, he first disguised himself as an ordinary civilian and waited at the inevitable passage near the dock exit.

Then, patiently and carefully observe the crowd, looking for easy targets.

Once the goal is determined, there are many methods available.

Deception, robbery, kidnapping for ransom, and even human trafficking...

A single successful heist can often cover several months of the gang's expenses, and after a few heists, it's pure profit.

The enormous profits that entice people to covet have made countless small and medium-sized organizations in the lower city covet this fertile land, which seems to be filled with gold coins even in the air.

But after all, the dock is only so big. Once you exclude the areas controlled by the official forces, there is limited space left for others.

Over the years, there have been countless conspiracies and bloodshed, power shifts, leadership changes, and all sorts of sordid events that could be discussed in a matter of days.

Only the most well-informed people in town could unravel the intricate web of relationships among the organizations near the docks.

"It must be the Tide Receding Gang; they've been in charge of that area recently."

Hera rested her hands on the counter, leaning slightly forward. Strands of dark green, seaweed-like hair fell down her cheeks, and her bright green eyes, languid yet intrigued, gazed at Xia Nan across from her.

"What's wrong? Did they offend you?"

"To be honest, not really, we haven't had much contact." Xia Nan shook his head, not looking up, his eyes fixed on the seafood cream mushroom soup emitting an enticing aroma in front of him.

The sweet aroma that filled the air made him unconsciously swallow.

The seafood cream of mushroom soup at the Three-Legged Seal Tavern doesn't have fixed ingredients; the ingredients each day depend on the catch purchased at the dock.

It was unclear whether the tavern owner, who had access to a great deal of information in the town, knew they were returning to port today, and thus prepared an especially lavish cream of mushroom soup.

The soup is served with a whole, enormous lobster, about the length of an adult's forearm.

The shrimp shells have been thoughtfully removed beforehand, leaving only two reddish claws and the shrimp heads as decorations, placed on the edge of the plate; the plump, translucent shrimp meat is submerged in a creamy, viscous broth.

Dip a spoon into the soup and stir gently, letting the sweet aroma fill your nostrils.

Xia Nan scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.

In an instant, the rich and sweet flavor exploded in my mouth. The essence of the shrimp meat, after careful cooking, had been perfectly integrated into the soup, making the creamy mushroom soup, which was originally on the sweeter side, more mellow and robust in flavor, balancing the taste.

The plump, firm shrimp meat trembled and rolled on the tip of the tongue, the teeth clattering together. The amazing elasticity and crispness made Xia Nan even hear the subtle cracking sound of the shrimp meat fibers breaking. The juice burst with each chew, and the concentrated ocean sweetness mixed with the milky aroma transformed into an unparalleled delicacy.

With one bite, Xia Nan felt all the pressure and fatigue accumulated from this mission quickly melt away in the sweetness of the cream of mushroom soup.

He couldn't help but squint his eyes in enjoyment, his mind seemingly immersed in the long-awaited delicious soup.

It took a long time before he slowly came to his senses.

With a gentle stir of the iron spoon in his hand, searching for large chunks of shrimp meat scattered in the mushroom soup, Xia Nan casually recounted his and Alton's encounter to Hera.

"That's understandable..."

Knowing how deceptive Alton's youthful, lively face and short stature were to outsiders unaware of his background, it's no wonder he was targeted by gangs at the docks.

On the contrary, Xia Nan, even though he wasn't wearing armor and was only dressed in a thin dark-colored undershirt, if any gang were so blind as to target him...

With this level of awareness, even if they gain control of the neighborhood near the dock, they probably won't last long and will soon disappear into the ceaseless waves on the shore.

"It's okay, don't worry about it too much."

Hera smiled as she looked at the black-haired youth who had made a name for himself in just a few months since arriving at Barracuda Bay, and began to share the information she knew.

"The Tide Retreat Gang isn't a big organization. There aren't many professionals in the gang. They've only recently become active around Bend Alley. Many forces around them are watching you. They'd rather avoid you than come looking for trouble for no reason."

"Speaking of which, this Tide Receding Gang... actually has something to do with you."

As if she had thought of something, an interesting glint flashed in Hera's eyes, and she paused for a moment as if keeping everyone in suspense.

"Oh? What do you mean?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Nan raised an eyebrow, swallowed the soup in his mouth, and asked.

"Remember the Shark Gang?" Hera smiled and tapped the table with her fingertip.

"Of course, that gang that kidnapped the Baron's daughter. What, was this Tidefall Gang founded by someone from the Horned Shark Gang?" Not long ago, Xia Nan naturally wouldn't forget the organization that earned him the nickname "The Hague" in Barracuda Bay.

He just remembered that he should have wiped out all the high-ranking members of the Shark Gang, and even those who tried to escape by boat were caught in the sea and had their heads chopped off with a single sword. There shouldn't have been any who escaped.

This so-called ebb tide gang...

"Hehe, it's not as complicated as you think," Hera shook her head and explained with a light laugh.

The Tidefall Gang and the Hornfish Gang are not related at all; they have nothing in common from their top members to their organizational structure.

Hera said that because, to some extent, Xia Nan also contributed to the rise of the Tide Receding Gang.

Although the saltwater area is vast, it is only so big in total, and the authorities have no plans to expand it in the short term.

Over the years, it has become clear that almost every alleyway has its own actual controller.

Gangs can only expand their territory by purchasing it with gold coins or by fighting for it.

The Shark Gang is not a large gang, and its territory is roughly between Bend Lane and Cable Street.

Previously, the organization was wiped out by Xia Nan and others. None of the organization's high-ranking members survived, and the thugs under their command scattered. The territories they had controlled became ownerless.

The Tidefall Gang seized this opportunity to expand rapidly, swallowing up most of the Horned Shark Gang's territory while recruiting more members. Their organizational strength increased dramatically in a short period of time, expanding their sphere of influence from a small area near the Wavebreaker Wharf to the vicinity of Cable Street.

The leader of the organization is quite smart. He knows that after a period of expansion, he cannot be too aggressive and is currently in a low-key and stable state.

That's why Hera felt that the other party wouldn't provoke Xia Nan over such a trivial matter.

Moreover... the example of the Shark Gang is right there. In terms of high-level combat power alone, according to her understanding, the Tidefall Gang is probably not much worse. No one would want to make an enemy of this "nemesis" in their eyes.

"In that case, they should thank me."

Xia Nan said interestingly.

“If you’d like, I can help you make the contact.” Hera nodded slightly, her tone earnest. “I imagine they wouldn’t mind offering a small helping hand and a gift to their benefactor.”

It was just a little joke, and when the tavern owner across the counter said that, Xia Nan waved his hand, indicating that there was no need to go into details.

He was just an adventurer passing through Barracuda Bay, who would leave once the feast was over, and did not want to get involved with the forces here, especially the underworld organizations that mingled in the gray areas.

I just hope the other party can be more perceptive and stop bothering me.

After swallowing the last mouthful of cream of mushroom soup, Xia Nan stood up, took out a few coins from his waist pouch, and handed them to the other person.

Then he said goodbye and left the tavern.

As for his destination, it was, of course, the tailor shop he had been waiting for.

……

……

As a high-end custom tailor shop located in the Baiya area at the top of Suoyu Bay, 【Pearl Spinning】's business has always been average, but often just one opening can be equivalent to the entire year's income of an ordinary shop.

Right now, when Xia Nan walked into the shop, it was as deserted as ever.

There were no customers in sight, only rolls of high-quality, comfortably colored fabric neatly arranged and lying quietly on the shelves.

There was no one to be seen even behind the counter, making the whole shop seem empty.

Perhaps because she heard the doorbell ring when it was pushed open, Xia Nan could vaguely hear hurried footsteps coming from the wooden door leading to the inner room.

As they approached the door, the hurried footsteps suddenly slowed down, accompanied by the soft rustling of clothes. One could imagine the shop owner deliberately slowing down, adopting an air of ease, while hurriedly adjusting their clothes.

"Click".

The door was slowly pushed open from the inside.

The light gray, fitted silk shirt was buttoned all the way up to the top of the collar, revealing the slightly twitching gills on both sides of the neck; his five fingers, longer than those of an average human, gripped the doorknob, and a metal bracelet engraved with wave patterns on his wrist reflected a faint light in the sunlight.

The owner of 【Pearl Spinning】, a half-sea elf and half-human, "Seliananie", slightly raised her chin and slowly walked out of the house with a posture that was quite dignified and proper even for a nobleman.

"【Pearl spinning】, how can I help you...?"

The next second, the figure of the black-haired youth was reflected in his light blue eyes.

The voice paused involuntarily.

"Xia Nan?"

The half-elf's face showed surprise. The deliberate posture he had been putting on vanished in an instant. Before Xia Nan could even finish his greeting, he turned around and quickly walked back into the inner room, leaving only a sentence in the air.

"You're finally here. Wait a moment while I get your things."

However, after waiting for about half a minute, they heard a series of footsteps that were more hurried than before, with a hint of excitement, coming from behind the door.

Without slowing down, he pushed the door open and went straight out.

But now, in Seliana's arms, there was an oak box, understated in appearance yet full of style.

He gently placed it on the counter, held the wooden box by the corners with both hands, and carefully turned it so that the opening faced Xia Nan.

"The equipment you commissioned was completed a few days ago. I even sent someone to the three-legged sea dog's place to find you, but I didn't expect that they hadn't returned yet."

"Hehe, I was thinking last night what would happen to the remaining balance if you just left. Now I don't have to worry about that."

"Open it and take a look, you should be satisfied."

Although that's what Seliane said on the surface, he couldn't hide the pride and sense of accomplishment on his face at that moment, clearly showing his immense confidence in the equipment he had created.

It was custom-made from the start, and Xia Nan participated in most of the equipment's production process. However, he missed the final stage due to the need to go on a mission. He had a good understanding of the quality of this armor, so he wasn't worried, but rather looking forward to it.

Hearing what the other person said, he took a deep breath.

Then, place both hands forward on either side of the wooden box, and use your wrists to slowly open the box.

hum-

Accompanied by a wave of thick water vapor, there was a vast equipment attribute panel that almost filled the entire field of vision, composed of semi-transparent characters.

(End of this chapter)